Parents voice concern about dangers of dropping and picking up kids at school

A dangerous environment is what some Central Elementary School parents are describing as the picking up and dropping off process.

Felicia Kruse has a kindergartner at Central and says she walks her daughter to and from school everyday. She says it's the actions of other parents that make the area unsafe by making their own drop-off sites on the street and sidewalks.

"There's just a clear violation of the laws, traffic or otherwise and they're putting our children in danger," she said.

Heather Eilderts, has had children at Central for nine years and has to drive them to and from. She says safety concerns are an issue they've been dealing with for too long.

"I've actually seen, luckily there was a parent with the child but they hit the front of the car with their hand to notify the driver that they were there or otherwise they wouldn't have seen them," Eilderts said.

Both say they're especially concerned with cars parking on the sidewalk in an area near the buses.

"As they go to leave that parking spot that they created they reverse into me and my children and the rest of the walkers," Kruse said.

They say they're frustrated after getting little to nowhere with school officials and the Coralville Police Department.

Central Principal Andy Gahn said they've taken steps to fix problems.

"There was a miscommunication of expectations for one area of our parking lot. We have gotten the situation under control and have beefed up staffing in the area. I do not see it as a problem anymore. In fact, our roundabout in the side of the building is very efficient," he said.

Eilderts and Kruse say enough hasn't been done.

On Monday afternoon, when school left, several cars were not in legal spots when picking up their kids but no car was on the sidewalk.

A picture taken by Kruse's husband showed a car parking in that same spot that morning.

Coralville Police Chief Shane Kron agreed with Gahn and said an officer is in the immediate area before and after school every day and works with the school staff to ensure students are safe.

"Coralville Central has made significant progress in improving the flow of vehicles into and out of the school zone without compromising student safety. Any observed or reported driving behavior that endangers student safety will be promptly addressed," Kron said.